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Baby
Dog--Pure Goodness
I don't remember
ever coming across a being as innocent and loving as my wonderful Sharpei.
He came to live with us when he was about 6 years old. My son was in health
care and worked double shifts making it impossible for him to keep the dog.
He had lived briefly with us when he was a puppy. It was then that he was
given the name Baby Dog. We had another dog in the house would go after the
little puppy and we would scold the older dog and say please leave the baby
dog alone. He was originally named Maximillian
Throughout his 10
years he remained a beautiful creature inside and out. He was a valiant
soul. As a puppy all of a sudden he could not walk. We took him to
specialist, some doctors suggested he should be put to sleep. It turned out
to be a calcium deficiency and he was up and walking again .
When he was seven
he had the bloat and almost died but I brought him to the vet and they saved
his life. Normally they keep a dog in the hospital for a few days post
operatively but he scratched so much at the cage to get out and go home that
they had to release him 9 hours after surgery. I slept with him in the
kitchen because he needed a confined space and could not walk up the stairs.
The bond between us grew.
I worked from home
and we became inseparable. During this period my mother was living with us
and she needed a new valve in her heart . Her condition was poor . When I
would go to see her in the morning I would have Baby Dog come with me
because I was afraid I would find her dead. He seemed to know that he had to
be at my side. My mother was blessed and her valve was replaced with a new
minimally invasive procedure.
However during this
time Baby Dog was diagnosed with lymphoma. He immediately started treatment
with a veterinary oncologist. He did beautifully with the chemotherapy. We
would walk three times each day and he would wake me up by licking my face.
During all of his treatment he was never irritable or snappy. He always
seemed to have my best interests in mind.
There were times
during our life together that I was very distant from any spirituality, but
when I was with Baby Dog I was united with an aura of goodness and love that
made me feel that I was connecting with something much more pure than
anything earth bound.
Well a week ago we
were approaching his last chemo. He was a miracle dog he had been cancer
free for a long time and his blood work and EKG's were perfect. I took him
to my general vet just for him to check out everything. That morning my
husband was off and had taken him on his favorite long walk, Baby Dog had
his breakfast. We went in the car he was playing. I went into the vet first
to explain what I needed him to do ---just a once over. My husband brought
in the dog. I left the room, the door closed behind me, the doctor was
knelling on the floor to listen to his heart---he didn't hear a beat, the
next second the dog collapsed and was dead.
I was devastated as
was all of his doctors and anyone who had known him. For days I was in
shock. This fantastic friend was no longer with me. It was as if my
life had stopped.
One of his doctors
said to me --he died has he lived---always giving.
I was reminded that
I said I could never euthanize a pet. I am not capable.
Baby Dog's time on
earth had come to an end and he died without putting me through the need to
make a decision to put him down.. I would have suffered with this option.
He waited until I
shut the door to the examining room so that I did not have to witness his
death and he did it in the doctor's office so that I would not be haunted
with guilt that I could not resuscitate him.
This is love! This
is truly the Eyes of God on earth.
--Ann Brancato |
